Oklahoma stuns fans with the cost of attending postgame press conferences

Controversy has blown up after the Oklahoma Sooners announced plans and pricing to sell seats so fans could attend post-game press conferences.

The price is the major area of contention as the prices are high, ranging from over $400 for a less-anticipated game to nearly $700 for a major match up like the one against Michigan. This price point is seen as staggeringly high especially for an event that is widely available to the public for free via streaming services like YouTube.

Critics also argue that the experience itself is not worth the high cost. Attendees are not allowed to ask questions and are essentially paying to watch journalists do their job. While some fans might find it a “behind-the-scenes” thrill, many feel it’s an overpriced novelty and more about bragging rights than an actual valuable experience. The general sentiment is that watching a coach give standard, often non-controversial, post-game remarks is not an engaging or entertaining event for a steep price.

There is also a feeling that this initiative is just another step in the commercialization of college sports. In the new era of college sports, particularly with the need for athletic departments to find new revenue streams to help with things like revenue sharing with athletes, schools are finding creative ways to monetize every fan interaction. The press conference is just one of many new “fan experiences” being offered, often at a significant cost, which some see as a cash grab that exploits fan loyalty.

Oklahoma is not the only college offering unique fan experiences (others are selling things like the chance to run out of the tunnel with the team), the decision to sell access to a press conference has drawn particular criticism due to the nature of the event and the perceived lack of value for the price.

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